Method and apparatus for defining a user specific configuration environment

Abstract

A method for identifying an expected configuration environment defined by configuration parameters typically employed by a user, and seamlessly applying the configuration environment to subsequent network transaction requests of the user, regardless of the network access point from which the transaction request emanates, provides remote network access according to the expectations of the user. Each user has an independent configuration environment stored in a memory accessible by a data communications device. The data communications device identifies a connection as emanating from a particular user, and applies the corresponding configuration environment from the memory to network transaction requests from the user. In this manner, the user perceives the same treatment by the network when connecting in the home office as well as via a remote connection such as from a hotel, airport, or cybercafe. Accordingly, attempts to access the network from a remote network access point will not impede the user because the expectations of the user about the network will be unchanged from the home office network access point.

1. A network device, comprising a collection of hardware components or a combination of hardware, software and firmware components which embody a detector module, an adjuster module and a controller, wherein:
 the detector module is operative to obtain first network configuration parameters from initial client data packets sent to the network device by a client, the first network configuration parameters identifying first servers having corresponding network communications functions in a first network in which the client has operated; 
 the adjuster module is operative to create mapping and translation values associating the first network configuration parameters with second servers having the corresponding network communications functions in a second network in which the network device operates; and 
 the controller is operative to utilize the mapping and translation values to translate between subsequent client data packets and corresponding translated data packets exchanged between the controller and the second servers such that the client is enabled to operate in the second network using the first configuration parameters; 
 wherein: 
 the client is one user of a set of users; 
 the mapping and translation values are part of a configuration environment corresponding to each of the users, the configuration environment indicative of a configuration parameter set corresponding to each of the users; and 
 the controller is further operable to:
 (i) receive communications signals from a particular user of the set of users, the communications signals having transactional characteristics indicative of a request for a particular type of network transaction; 
 (ii) determine, from the transactional characteristics, a configuration environment having configuration parameter sets, each configuration parameter set corresponding to a particular type of network transaction; and 
 (iii) apply the determined configuration environment to subsequent network transaction requests from the user by employing the configuration parameter set corresponding to the requested transaction type, the configuration environment adapted to be applied by the controller independently of the configuration environment corresponding to other users of the set of users. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is operative to maintain a plurality of proxy servers operable to engage in exchanges with respective ones of the second servers on behalf of the client utilizing the mapping and translation values. 
     
     
       3. A network device according to  claim 2  wherein the proxy servers include a Domain Name Service (DNS) proxy server, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) proxy server, a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) proxy server, and a Post Office Protocol (POP) proxy server. 
     
     
       4. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is further operable to maintain a configuration environment of the user in a remote location by accessing a database that receives configuration updates from a device near a home office of the client that is directly aware of a reference configuration environment of the client. 
     
     
       5. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the initial client data packets include an address resolution protocol (ARP) packet including a network-layer address of a server in the first network, and wherein the network device is operable to respond to the ARP packet with a media-access (MAC) layer address of the network device in the second network. 
     
     
       6. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the client is identified by the network device using a client identifier including a media-access (MAC) layer address of the client and an identifier of a port of the network device to which the client is attached, and wherein the mapping and translation values are indexed according to the client identifier. 
     
     
       7. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the first network configuration parameters include first client network address parameters identifying the client in the first network but not in the second network. 
     
     
       8. A network device according to  claim 7  wherein the first client network address parameters include an Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, a network mask, and a network address of a default router. 
     
     
       9. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is further operable to determine the configuration environment by learning each of the configuration parameter sets from a set of network transaction requests sent from the user. 
     
     
       10. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the configuration environment is associated with a respective corresponding user via a unique mapping identifier, the unique mapping identifier independent of a node address of the particular user. 
     
     
       11. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is further operable to store each configuration environment such that the configuration environment is employed in executing subsequent network transaction requests of subsequent sessions. 
     
     
       12. A network device according to  claim 11  wherein the controller is further operable to selectively retrieve configuration sets of a configuration environment corresponding to a particular user in response to subsequent network transaction requests. 
     
     
       13. A network device according to  claim 11  wherein the controller is further operable to modify the configuration environment when the received transaction characteristics of subsequent network transaction requests are indicative of a different configuration parameter set. 
     
     
       14. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the configuration environment further defines a state indicative of a current user profile, and wherein the controller is further operable to apply subsequent transaction requests to determine a subsequent user profile state. 
     
     
       15. A network device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is further operable to apply the configuration environment by selecting at least a portion of configuration parameters from the corresponding configuration parameter set. 
     
     
       16. A method of operating a network device which includes a collection of hardware components or a combination of hardware, software and firmware components, the network device having a client port for connection to a communications link to a client and having a network port for connection to a second network in which the network device operates, comprising:
 obtaining first network configuration parameters from initial client data packets sent to the network device by a client via the client port, the first network configuration parameters identifying first servers having corresponding network communications functions in a first network in which the client has operated, the first network parameters not identifying second servers having the corresponding network communications functions in the second network; 
 creating mapping and translation values associating the first network configuration parameters with second servers having the corresponding network communications functions in the second network; and 
 utilizing the mapping and translation values to translate between subsequent client data packets and corresponding translated data packets exchanged between the network device and the second servers such that the client is enabled to operate in the second network using the first configuration parameters; 
 wherein the client is one user of a set of users, and the mapping and translation values are part of a configuration environment corresponding to each of the users, the configuration environment being indicative of a configuration parameter set corresponding to each of the users; 
 and further comprising:
 (i) receiving communications signals from a particular user of the set of users, the communications signals having transactional characteristics indicative of a request for a particular type of network transaction; 
 (ii) determining, from the transactional characteristics, a configuration environment having configuration parameter sets, each configuration parameter set corresponding to a particular type of network transaction; and 
 (iii) applying the determined configuration environment to subsequent network transaction requests from the user by employing the configuration parameter set corresponding to the requested transaction type, the configuration environment adapted to be applied by the controller independently of the configuration environment corresponding to other users of the set of users. 
 
 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 16  further comprising maintaining a plurality of proxy servers operable to engage in exchanges with respective ones of the second servers on behalf of the client utilizing the mapping and translation values. 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 17  wherein the proxy servers include a Domain Name Service (DNS) proxy server, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) proxy server, a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) proxy server, and a Post Office Protocol (POP) proxy server. 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 16  further comprising maintaining a configuration environment of the user in a remote location by accessing a database that receives configuration updates from a device near a home office of the client that is directly aware of a reference configuration environment of the client. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the initial client data packets include an address resolution protocol (ARP) packet including a network-layer address of a server in the first network, and wherein the network device is operable to respond to the ARP packet with a media-access (MAC) layer address of the network device in the second network. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the client is identified by the network device using a client identifier including a media-access (MAC) layer address of the client and an identifier of a port of the network device to which the client is attached, and wherein the mapping and translation values are indexed according to the client identifier. 
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the first network configuration parameters include first client network address parameters identifying the client in the first network but not in the second network. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 22  wherein the first client network address parameters include an Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, a network mask, and a network address of a default router. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 16  further comprising determining the configuration environment by learning each of the configuration parameter sets from a set of network transaction requests sent from the user. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the configuration environment is associated with a respective corresponding user via a unique mapping identifier, the unique mapping identifier independent of a node address of the particular user. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the controller is further operable to store each configuration environment such that the configuration environment is employed in executing subsequent network transaction requests of subsequent sessions. 
     
     
       27. A method according to  claim 26  further comprising selectively retrieving configuration sets of a configuration environment corresponding to a particular user in response to subsequent network transaction requests. 
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 26  further comprising modifying the configuration environment when the received transaction characteristics of subsequent network transaction requests are indicative of a different configuration parameter set. 
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the configuration environment further defines a state indicative of a current user profile, and further comprising applying subsequent transaction requests to determine a subsequent user profile state. 
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 16  wherein the controller is further operable to apply the configuration environment by selecting at least a portion of configuration parameters from the corresponding configuration parameter set.